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North 28 Reitz 56 - Reitz Bowl Oct 3, 2008

Game Stats    Game Recap    Game Possession Chart

Offense

Team Stats

Defense

Game Recap

It is tough to be upbeat about a loss like the one Friday night to Reitz.  There are not a whole lot of good things to say when:

□        The Huskies allowed their third highest point total in the 51 year history of the football program.

□        28 points represented the largest losing margin of the season and worst since 2006.

□        381 yards rushing allowed was a season worst.

□        202 yards rushing allowed in the third quarter was the most allowed on record by a Husky defense in a single quarter.

□        The kickoff return team’s performance was dreadful and lead directly to half the margin of defeat

Having said all that, the game still had some bright points.

FIRST QUARTER

Starting with what has become a characteristically long field ahead of them, the Huskies banged out an eleven play, 75 yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the game.  After WR Drew Hawkins snagged a 13 yard pick up on an early third-and-nine situation, North had the ball first and ten at their 39.  QB Cameron Whitler lined up in the shotgun formation, took the snap, moved smartly to his right, and tossed a long spiral down the North sideline and hit WR James Gott for a 40 yard pick up.

With the ball in Reitz territory, the Huskies ran on four consecutive downs.  RB Travis Carlile converted a key fourth-and-two at the Reitz 13 to keep the drive alive.  Two plays later, the left side of the Husky offensive line (OT Marcus Chambers and OG Colton Tenhumberg) delivered a wedge to the end zone by blowing out the men across from them.  Whitler hit Gott with a quick screen pass behind the wedge and he ran in for an 11 yard score.  With K Preston Meador’s extra point, the Huskies had a 7-0 lead.

Reitz ran the ensuing kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown.

North’s next possession didn’t pay dividends…at least not immediately.  Starting with an 80 yard field ahead of them, the Huskies moved out past midfield when RB Cameron Clements took a swing pass in the right hand flat and rambled 23 yards after the catch.  Whitler took a huge hit on second down as he made an option pitch to Carlile and he appeared to be shook up on the play.  A third down pass to Gott glanced off the receiver’s hands and it seemed as though North was done for the possession.

GOOD FORTUNE FOLLOWS GOOD EXECUTION

Punter Mitch Parker booted a near perfect punt that towered above the field and gave enough hang time for the ‘gunners’ to get down field and cover the return.  The Panther return man, looking to repeat his performance from the earlier kick return, failed to make the catch before he began to run and the ball bounced off his hip.  Sophomore Ryan Wickham bore down on the loose ball and recovered it at the Reitz three yard line.  Two plays later Carlile banged into the end zone and following Meador’s kick North again led by seven points.

Following a squib kick, Reitz took over at their 40 and relentlessly ran the ball down the Huskies’ throats. The Panthers converted a “fourth-and-inches” to sustain the drive with a 17 yard burst on a pitch around the right side.  They converted another fourth down situation at the North 25 with an option play in which the quarterback kept the ball.  Two plays later, the quarterback ran the option to the opposite side, elected to keep the ball, and scored from the 16.  That knotted the score at 14 as the game entered the second quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

The North return man mishandled the kickoff and the ball rolled into the end zone for a touchback.  With yet another long field ahead of them, the Huskies went to work.  They would not retain the ball for long.

On second down, the Panther defensive end burst past the right tackle and ran unrestrained into Whitler’s “blind” side as he attempted to pass.  The quarterback was knocked to the ground with a thunderous blow, the ball bounced free, and was picked up by the defender who ran eighteen yards to pay dirt.

Trailing by a touchdown, North managed to exchange punts with the Panthers and looked to have found an answer to the Reitz running game.

So then the blue and gray went to the air.

Starting from their own 30, Reitz overcame three penalties in a 70 yard drive.  Completing all five passes that they attempted, the Panthers extended the lead to 27-14 with 2:41 to play in the half.  North managed to move the ball to midfield as the halftime buzzer went off.

THIRD QUARTER

When Reitz drove 83 yards in 87 seconds on 6 plays to begin the half, North looked to be done as they trailed 35-14. 

There’s something about this Husky team, though.  There’s something about the way that just when an observer is about to count them down, just when they have every reason to collapse, they do something that gives everyone a reason to believe that the “spark” is still there.  The pilot light still burns and you never know when the gas is going to ignite.

Starting at their 32, North ‘jack hammered’ away at the Reitz bulwark for three successive running plays and moved the ball out past midfield.  Blocks were crisp and the runners put their shoulders down and carried defenders for extra yards.

Whitler took the snap on first down at the Reitz 45 and had the time to survey the landscape ahead of him.  Looking for Gott, he spotted the receiver running a post pattern deep down the right hand side.  The quarterback under threw the ball slightly and the diminutive wide receiver came back to get it.  The Reitz defender grabbed hold of his shoulder pads and it appeared that Gott would go down. 

He didn’t.

He shook off the defender and blazed the additional 20 yards to the end zone—out running a flock of Panthers who had a full head of steam built up as Gott had grappled with the defender.  They were no match for the hurdles-champion and he scored his second touchdown of the night.

GOTT'S BIG NIGHT

On the evening, Gott would have one of the greatest games ever played by a North receiver.  His eight catches rank second all-time in a single game.  His 156 yards rank third all-time.  His 20.3 average yards per catch ranks 12^th all-time.   He made his eighth and ninth plays of the season that were longer than 33 yards from scrimmage. 

North trailed by 14 with 8:45 to go in the third quarter and other than a kickoff return and a fumble return had played the Panthers ‘dead even’.

Another long kickoff return, a quick score, a couple of interceptions, and an embarrassing break down of the defense that allowed touchdown runs of 22 yards or longer on three consecutive plays (the first two were called back by penalty) effectively ended the contest.

FOURTH QUARTER

Trailing by 35 points with 7:29 to go in the game, the Huskies went to the second unit.  Reitz did the same.  What followed was an exhibition of fundamental football that showed why the JayVee team has done better this season than any other in recent history.

QB Matt Strohmeier directed a 68 yard, 13 play touchdown drive that was impressive for its desire as well as its competence.  Never once throwing the ball, the Huskies routinely punched out  7, 8, and 9 yards per rushing attempt.  Running backs Ryan Wickham and Ryan Holland moved the pile forward and held onto the ball.  The young Husky line delivered just enough daylight to sustain the drive and North generated five first downs before Wickham ran in from the three.  Meador’s extra point gave him 29 kicking points for the season and moved him up to 7^th on the all-time list for a season and 8^th on the all-time career list.

WHAT LAYS AHEAD

The Huskies were beaten at the Bowl on Friday.  The best thing to say about the game is that it had its moments in which North looked like a good football team.  Unfortunately, none of those moments came in the final eight-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter.

The A.P.’s number six ranked 5A team in Kentucky, Christian County, awaits on the schedule for Saturday night.  The Colonels are 5-1, rated the 21st best team in Kentucky by Massey Ratings, and they beat Henderson County by a score of 34-28 on Friday night.  Massey ranks the Huskies as the 126^th best team in Indiana and places Evansville North as a four point underdog playing at home.  The Colonel’s offense is reported to be much stronger than their defense and they have averaged nearly 40 points per game in their last four contests.  They are a power running team and junior running back VaShun Banks is a division one prospect.

CalPreps likewise ranks the Huskies 126^th in Indiana with a power rating of 6.2.  They rank Christian County number 6 in Kentucky 5A and give them a power rating of 26.5.  Allowing for home field advantage, North figures out to be a 15 point under-dog in the CalPrep system.

The best news is that Henderson County is by far the best team that Christian County has played this season and their game came down to the final play—just like the Huskies’ game versus Henderson.  Christian County has beaten up on some rather lowly rated ball clubs to gain their lofty ranking.  At this point in the season, however, North too is a lowly rated ball club.

But...

As we have seen over this season, just when you’re ready to count them out and count them down, they come back and do some incredible things.  Let’s hope Saturday night is one of those moments when the Huskies get “that look” in their eye.

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